Apparatus for controlling conditions in a plant cultivation facility

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for controlling conditions in a plant cultivation facility is provided, said apparatus comprising at least: a lighting system arranged in connection with plants present in an environmentally sealable and closable cultivation facility; a hydropic cooling arrangement for lowering or impeding the rise of temperature in the cultivation facility, said cooling arrangement comprising a cooling manifold present in connection with plants in the cultivation facility and a heat recovery arrangement for utilizing excess heat generated in the cultivation facility, said heat recovery arrangement including a heat storing system. The apparatus has its heat recovery arrangement including one or more condenser dryers/coolers for collecting water and/or heat absorbed in the indoor air of a cultivation facility and a heat pump assembly for transferring the heat, accumulated in the heat storing system by way of the cooling arrangement&#39;s circulation water and/or the condenser dryer&#39;s/cooler&#39;s circulation water, into a secondary circuit independent, with respect to its one or more water circulation loops.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/309,232, filed on Dec. 12, 2018,which is a U.S. National Stage application of and claims the benefit ofInternational Patent Application No. PCT/FI2017/050424, filed Jun. 8,2017, which claims the benefit of Finnish Patent Application No.20165491, filed Jun. 13, 2016, all of which are incorporated byreference.

The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling conditions in aplant cultivation facility as set forth in the preamble of anindependent claim directed thereto.

By courtesy of a company called Lemnis Oreon there is commerciallyavailable a LED lighting fixture developed specifically for thecultivation of plants, wherein a single lighthead is integrally providedwith both a LED light source and a water circulation for its cooling.Such a solution provides a high rating for the LED light source withoutoverheating the lighting fixture.

A problem with this type of solutions is the necessity of providing theplant cultivation facility with separate mounting frames for fasteningsuch lighting fixtures. In addition to that, the lighting fixtures mustbe connected each individually to a cooling water network. Therefore,the installation, acquisition and operating costs of the discussed typeof solution are quite high. Furthermore, the maintenance and upkeep ofsuch lighting fixtures is also particularly challenging because oflighting fixture-specific water connections. With this type of solutionit is not possible to control conditions in a plant cultivationfacility, particularly for the optimization thereof, e.g. by adjustingthe cultivation facility in terms of its temperature/humidity. In thiscontext, another problem is the large number of water connections in acultivation facility, increasing the risk of catastrophic leaks.

Patent publication EP1933602 discloses a water circulation lightingsystem for growing plants, said system comprising a lighting array withwater circulation arranged in connection with plants and consisting ofseveral LED lamps operating with external power supply and provided withhydropic cooling. This solution enables cooling water heatedconductively with lamp cooling to be utilized directly for example forthe heating of plants or for other necessary application of heat in agreenhouse yet it is not able to provide comprehensive control over theheat and humidity building up particularly in the indoor air of agreenhouse.

Patent publication US 2016/109107 further discloses a system forcontrolling conditions in a horticultural facility, said systemcomprising: a lighting array arranged in connection with plants presentin an environmentally sealable and closable cultivation facility andconsisting of several electrical lighting devices; a hydropic coolingarrangement for lowering or impeding the rise of temperature in thecultivation facility, said cooling arrangement including a coolingconduit system present in connection with plants in the cultivationfacility and by way of which the lighting devices included in thelighting array are adapted to be cooled with cooling water carried inthe cooling conduit system by pump action; and a heat recoveryarrangement for making use of the excess heat generated in thecultivation facility, said heat recovery arrangement including a heatstorage system for the storing of heat recovered with the heat recoveryarrangement. However, even this solution does not provide a capabilityof comprehensively controlling the heat and humidity building upespecially in the indoor air of a greenhouse.

The apparatus according to the present invention and intended forcontrolling conditions in a plant cultivation facility has an objectiveof providing a decisive improvement regarding the foregoing problems andof thereby raising essentially the currently available state of the art.In order to attain this objective, the apparatus according to theinvention is principally characterized by what is presented in thecharacterizing clause of an independent claim directed thereto.

Some of the most notable benefits achieved by the apparatus of theinvention, intended for controlling conditions in a plant cultivationfacility, include the simplicity and efficiency of its operation andtechnology applicable therefor, by virtue of which it is possible, inmost diverse plant growing conditions and environments, to bothfacilitate remarkably the assembly and maintenance of a population ofequipment employed at a particular time and to also optimize conditionsof a plant cultivation facility by utilizing the comprehensive heatrecovery by pump action from the cultivation facility's indoor climateand from the cooling fluid circulation process used in cooling, byvirtue of cooling, condenser dryer and heat storage arrangementsutilized in the invention in an integrated manner.

Hence, it is by virtue of the invention that there is no need e.g. forvarious suspension systems for lighting fixtures by utilizing, as apreferred application of the invention, a cooling manifold which issolidly secured in a cultivation facility and arranged to cool thelighting fixtures by utilizing internal cooling water circulation orexternal natural and/or forced convection for heat transfer, and ispresent in connection with plants in one or more sections side by sideand/or on top of each other. Thus, the lighting system has its lamps, ina further preferred application, removably fastenable to the coolingmanifold by disposing one or more lamps side by side at the samelocation in a longitudinal direction of the cooling conduit profile whenviewed in a cross-section of the cooling conduit profile, and further anumber of lamps necessary at a particular time in succession atarbitrarily selectable locations in a longitudinal direction of thecooling conduit profile. The invention enables also e.g. inexpensivecommercial water cooling systems or extruded heat-conducting cooling finprofiles to be integrated with LED lighting.

By virtue of the invention it is further possible to simplifymanufacturing of LED lamps for the lighting system since, as a resultthereof, there is no need of providing the same with separate coolingarrangements such as e.g. a cooling liquid circulation, or systemsutilizing natural or forced convection, such as heatsinks or coolingfins, or the like. By virtue of the invention, in its simplest form thelighting fixture of a lighting system may comprise a mechanical mountingframe connected integrally therewith, by means of which the lightingfixture is fastenable to a cooling manifold in a removable manner forexample with a mechanical and/or magnetic coupling assembly includedintegrally in the mounting frame, or for example with separate couplingsprings, etc. In a cooling operation of the invention, it is alsopossible to optimize the mutual thermal conduction between the mountingframe and the cooling manifold by virtue of a sufficiently extensivesmooth cross-sectional heat conduction contact surface of the coolingmanifold, which also enables the lighting fixtures to be placed at anarbitrarily selectable location in radial and longitudinal directionwhen viewed in the cross-section of a cooling conduit profile.

By virtue of a heat storage unit or a so-called collector, employed as athermal storage system in an apparatus of the invention, it is possibleto combine the thermal energy gathered from a condenser dryer/cooler, aseparate cultivation facility cooling arrangement, such as a hydroniccooling convector, and/or an LED cooling water circulation into a singlecollector, which then collects the energy by raising its internaltemperature by a few degrees. On the other hand, a desired collectortemperature is maintained by means of a heat pump operating in asecondary circuit, whereby the energy stored in the collector isconveyed at a higher temperature to some other use, such as for exampleto greenhouse heating. The collected thermal energy can also be sold toan external operator for district heating.

What is essential is that the heat energy is in the form of so-calledlow temperature thermal energy, which is most suitable for example fordrying applications or maintenance of basic heat. The low temperaturethermal energy can be recovered with efficiency as high as 6 COP. Thebasic principle of a collector is the accumulation of (a) thermal energyderived from LEDs or hydronic convector, (b) latent thermal energycollected from a condenser dryer/cooler, (c) thermal energy collectedfrom the indoor air of a cultivation facility by means of a condenserdryer/cooler, as well as (d) moisture or water, which is collected fromthe indoor air of a cultivation facility by means of a condenserdryer/cooler, and which can be recirculated back to the plants forexample as irrigation water. All in all, the collector is able to gather90-100% of energy supplied into a cultivation facility provided that thefacility has been insulated for a so-called zero-energy space, enablinga recovery of all the energy as well as, in a best case scenario,practically 70-90% of irrigation water supplied into the cultivationfacility.

Therefore, the invention provides a solution for the cultivation ofplants, which in terms of its acquisition, installation, and operatingcosts is remarkably more cost-effective than those in currenttechnology, and by means which is possible to carry out concurrentlywith the illumination of cultivated plants also the management ofphysical conditions in a cultivation facility, e.g. by making itpossible for the cultivation facility to have temperature and humidityoptimal from the standpoint of plants cultivated at a particular time.

Other preferred embodiments for an apparatus of the invention arepresented in the dependent claims directed thereto.

The following description shall contain a detailed review of theinvention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1

shows a process flowchart depicting the general operating principle foran apparatus of the invention,

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b

show a few exemplary practices for an apparatus of the invention invarious plant cultivation purposes,

FIG. 3

shows one preferred embodiment for an apparatus of the invention inmulti-level cultivation,

FIG. 4

shows two utilization options for a lighting system of the invention,especially in connection with a cooling arrangement used in multi-levelcultivation,

FIGS. 5 a-5 d

further show a few preferred cooling conduit profile options employablein an apparatus of the invention, and

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b

further show by way of example two liquid circulation process optionscapable of being utilized in an apparatus of the invention.

The invention relates to an apparatus for controlling conditions in aplant cultivation facility, said apparatus comprising at least: alighting system 1 arranged in connection with plants present in anenvironmentally sealable and closable cultivation facility K andconsisting of several electrical lighting fixtures 1 a operating mostpreferably with external power supply and comprising one or moreelectrical components 1 a providing a lighting function; a hydropiccooling arrangement 2 for lowering or impeding the rise of temperaturein the cultivation facility, said cooling arrangement comprising acooling manifold 2 present in connection with plants in the cultivationfacility K and by means of which the lighting fixtures included in thelighting system are adapted to be cooled with cooling water conducted inthe manifold by pump P1; and a heat recovery arrangement for utilizingexcess heat, such as that transferred into the cooling arrangement'scirculation water, said heat recovery arrangement including a heatstoring system 3 b such as a water tank, a heat storage unit and/or thelike for storing the heat reclaimed by the heat recovery arrangement 3.The heat recovery arrangement 3 includes one or more condenserdryers/coolers 3 a for collecting water and/or heat absorbed in theindoor air of a cultivation facility and a heat pump assembly 3 c fortransferring the heat, accumulated in the heat storing system 3 b by wayof the cooling arrangement's circulation water 2:2 p and/or thecondenser dryer/cooler assembly's circulation water 3:3 d, into asecondary circuit tp independent with respect to its one or more watercirculation loops 2 p, 3 d.

What is conductively recovered from the thermal energy of especially LEDlamps is typically about 45-50%, the rest consisting of radiationapplied as luminous energy to the cultivation facility and plants.Moreover, the light falling on structures, i.e. bypassing the plants,transforms into airborne thermal energy. The plants, on the other hand,absorb 95% of the luminous energy falling thereon, evaporating it asmoisture into the air of a cultivation facility, the remaining 5% beingretained in a plant as chemical energy.

Condenser dryers or air cooling equipment are commonly implemented byusing solutions, wherein the condensing surface comprises e.g. a solidheat transfer surface (typically an aluminum sheet) and/or a liquid heattransfer surface such as e.g. for example a water spray, wherebyhumidity condenses on the aluminum sheet surface cooler than the dewpoint of a greenhouse or into the water sprayed in the system. Thecondenser dryer/cooler collects moisture and thermal energy from theair, the latter having absorbed therein as so-called latent heat.

What is recovered from the radiation energy of LED lamps in condensationdrying is typically about 45-50% since all the radiation energyaccumulates in the cultivation facility either as a rise of airtemperature or as humidity. Condensation drying enables a recovery ofboth forms of energy.

In reference to the exemplary process flowchart for an apparatus of theinvention shown in FIG. 1 as a preferred embodiment, its heat pumpassembly 3 c comprises one or more water-to-water heat pump or the likeincluded in a pump-operated P3 secondary circuit tp.

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b illustrate by way of example two process options whichare alternative to complementary to what is shown in FIG. 1 , and inwhich is utilized preheating of the outlet air of a condenserdryer/cooler 3 a. In the process of FIG. 6 a , the outlet air ispreheated with a heat exchanger LV e.g. by using circulation water tp1of the secondary circuit tp of the water-to-water heat pump 3 cconducted therein and being at a higher temperature. This makes itpossible to provide a highly cost-effective system, by virtue of whichit is possible that the performance of a condenser dryer/cooler beradically enhanced by lowering its process temperature. In the processof FIG. 6 b , on the other hand, the outlet air is preheated with a heatexchanger LV by means of circulation water 2 p conducted therein from areturn side of the cooling arrangement 2. In practice, this embodimentrequires that the lighting system's 1 leds be operated at a temperaturehotter than in the foregoing alternatives, but it simplifies decisivelythe flow connections of a water-to-water heat pump 3 c. In FIGS. 6 a and6 b , the reference symbol SE represents electrical energy and thereference symbol LE refers to thermal energy.

In reference to the aforesaid process flowcharts, the electricalcomponents 1 a 1, such as LEDs or the like, of the lighting devices 1 aincluded in the lighting system are adapted to be cooled withcirculation water conducted by pump P1 from a supply side 2 s of thecooling pipework 2, whereby the circulation water of the coolingarrangement 2 and the condenser dryer's/cooler's heat transfer circuits2 p, 3 d, coupled to the heat storing system 3 b, is adapted to becooled by feeding it into the heat pump assembly 3 c.

The invention enables an essentially comprehensive control over thetemperature and humidity of the indoor air in cultivation facility forplants, in addition to which it is also possible to utilize theinvention e.g. by holding the water circulation lower than the airtemperature and thereby collecting both airborne thermal energy andmoisture in addition to a direct cooling of the lighting fixtures.

The apparatus according to the invention lends itself particularly wellto being used especially in multi-level cultivation with cultivationconveyor systems on top of each other as depicted for example in FIG. 3. Thus, the plants are potted for example in trays at a first end of theconveyor system, migrating therefrom by the action of pressure mediumoperated or electrically powered actuators to a second end of theconveyor system with the plants growing to a harvesting age whileproceeding in the cultivation conveyor system from first end to secondend. At the second end, the plants are collected and cut/packed forsale. There is also a variation of the system, wherein the plants travelto a second end, proceed automatically onto a higher or lower level, andreturn therealong to a “working end”. In particular, the multi-levelconveyor system enables a process type and fully automated vegetableproduction.

Particularly in reference to the aforesaid multi-level cultivation, FIG.4 shows two optional cultivation conveyor systems for multi-levelcultivation in overhead views, of which the one on the left shows alighting system for an apparatus of the invention as it is utilized inconnection with a cooling manifold of cooling fluid, i.e. in practicemost preferably water, arranged transversely relative to a longitudinaldirection Ks of the cultivation facility K, and respectively theright-hand portion of FIG. 4 shows the same in connection with a coolingmanifold extending in a longitudinal direction Ks of the cultivationfacility K.

The cooling manifold 2 of an apparatus, utilized specifically in thiscontext, consists of a heat conductive cooling conduit or profile,manufactured from a plastic, metallic and/or magnetic material,extending among the plants in the cultivation facility K substantiallycontinuously with a constant cross-section, for cooling at least thelight-producing components 1 a 1 of lighting fixtures because of heatgenerated thereby while producing the light, whereby the coolingmanifold has its supply side and return side connected, as shown in apreferred embodiment of FIG. 1 , with the heat storing system 3 b of aheat recovery arrangement. In this context, the cooling manifoldextending in a substantially continuous manner with a constantcross-section refers to the fact that its cross-section remains constantamong successive plants, i.e. the cooling manifold is not extendedindividually and separately to each lighting fixture.

The foregoing type of cooling manifold 2 is particularly beneficial inenabling the cultivation facility K to be equipped, as shown in FIG. 4 ,with a unilateral maintenance zone H with a possibility of disposingtherein the cooling system's manifolds as well as other operating,regulating and electrical engineering features related to the managementof a cultivation facility. Such an implementation liberates the outersides/ends of a cultivation conveyor system as cooling water returnsfrom the end of each cooling conduit back to its inlet end by way of asecond flow passage 2 a″. In the right-hand example of FIG. 4 , thecooling water is supplied by way of a supply conduit 2 a extended to amiddle part of the cultivation facility K.

Further, the heat pump assembly 3 c, such as one or more water-to-waterheat pump or the like, included as a preferred embodiment in the heatrecovery arrangement 3 of the apparatus, is adapted to pass heat, storedin the circulation water delivered thereto from the heat storing system3 b by pump action P3, to a secondary circuit tp which is separate withrespect to the cooling and condensation water circulation. At thispoint, it is further possible to implement the heat storing system byhaving it provided with sections of warm circulation water and coldcirculation water which are partly or fully insulated relative to eachother.

In a further preferred embodiment for an apparatus of the invention, thelighting fixture 1 a of a lighting system included therein comprises acoupling system included integrally in or being separate with respect toits frame for coupling the lighting fixture, e.g. in reference to FIGS.2 a, 2 b , 3 and 5 a-5 d, to a specially designed or standarddimensional shaft, tube and/or profile used in the cooling manifold 2,at what in radial direction is an arbitrarily selected location whenviewed in its longitudinal direction and in its cross-section.

In particular reference to the preferred embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 a,2 b and 3, the apparatus comprises a cooling manifold 2, solidly proppedin the plant cultivation facility K and present among the plants in oneor more sections side by side and/or on top of each other, to which thelighting system's lighting fixtures 1 a are fastened permanently orremovably mechanically and/or magnetically.

In particular reference to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2 a ,the apparatus according to the invention has e.g. several lightingfixtures 1 a disposed on the outer surface of a cooling conduit orprofile at what in radial and longitudinal direction is an arbitrarilyselectable location when viewed in its cross-section for pointing thelighting fixture/lighting fixtures, as necessary, downwards, sidewaysand/or upwards. The placement of a lighting fixture on a thermalradiation surface B, i.e. on a cooling rib system, of the coolingconduit profile of FIG. 2 a is undesirable, because in this case themounting frame must be provided with a profile consistent with thecooling rib system. Hence, the mutual heat conduction between thecooling conduit profile and the mounting frame easily remainsunsatisfactory.

FIG. 2 a depicts how the invention is utilized when employing bilaterallighting positioned in the middle of plants, and FIG. 2 b showsrespectively its utilization in lighting for e.g. salads, herbs andflowers or in seedling lighting when using conventional overheadlighting. In addition, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 a has beenimplemented so as to enable hybrid functionality by using a coolingconduit profile provided with the cooling rib system B. Thereby isfacilitated the carrying out of cooling for lighting fixtures by meansof a cooling conduit profile, as necessary, in a so-called passivemanner, i.e. by making use of natural convection, or, in addition tothat, also internally of the cooling conduit profile in a so-calledactive manner, i.e. by making use of forced convection, with the use ofan appropriate circulation of cooling fluid, air or other medium. Inaddition, the hybrid structure enables also the collection of otherprocess heat out of the cultivation facility by cooling the ambient airby means of the cooling conduit profile's ribbing B.

In an embodiment of the invention, the cooling arrangement's coolingmanifold is arranged inside of one or more separate cooling apparatus,such as cooling convector, wherein the cooling fluid is circulating inthe manifold internal to the apparatus. In connection with coolingconvector's internal fan and metallic thermal transfer plates, thecooling manifold enables cooling of the cultivation facility, whereinthe cooling of the lighting fixtures is realized by air convection.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cooling manifold structureis arranged to utilize natural or forced air convection for cooling thelighting fixtures attached on it. The cooling conduit is preferablymanufactured from thermally conductive material, such as metal, and hasa cross-sectional profile that optimizes the surface area of the conduitfor convective heat transfer, i.e. a cooling fin shape, to provideadequate heat transfer from the lighting fixtures for their cooling. Inthis context, the convective heat transfer consequently increases theair temperature of the cultivation facility, wherein one or moreseparate hydropic cooling convectors with internal cooling fluidcirculation are used to cool the facility and collect the thermal energygenerated by the lighting fixtures and utilized in the heat storingsystem 3; 3 b.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, in reference to FIG.1 , the condenser dryer/cooler 3 a, suppliable by pump P2 withcirculation water conducted from the heat storing system 3; 3 b of aheat recovery arrangement included in the apparatus, is connected fromits collection space, which contains condensation water and coolingwater, the former having been condensated thereby from the cultivationfacility's indoor air, with a connecting pipe 3 d to the heat storingsystem 3 b for conveying the circulation water and heat, accumulated inthe collection space, into the heat storing system 3 b.

In reference to what is depicted in FIGS. 5 a-5 d as a preferredembodiment for the apparatus of the invention, its cooling manifold 2consists of a conduit profile 2′, comprising in a single cross-sectionat least two flow passages 2 a″, one passage being where occurs an inletflow proceeding from a cooling water supply side 2 s and the other witha return flow proceeding to a return side 2 p. In this context,especially for the condenser dryer/cooler 3 a, the cooling manifold 2has its conduit profile 2′ provided with a single- or multi-compartmentvacuum space A for absorbing therein the water condensated on theconduit profile's surface.

Especially in the implementations of FIGS. 5 b and 5 c , the upper flowpassage 2 a″ is at a cooler temperature. Because the free convection ismost intensive from a top surface of the conduit, this arrangement makesit possible to minimize heat transfer taking place directly from thecooling conduit to ambient air. Especially in the implementation of FIG.5 c , both the lighting fixture frame and the conduit's lower flowpassage have been optimized in such a way that this particularimplementation minimizes heat transfer to air and maximizes heattransfer to cooling water circulation. In the implementation of FIG. 5 a, the premise is, on the other hand, that the cooling conduit is overits entire length at a highly consistent temperature whereby it is notpossible for the cultivation facility to develop undesired majortemperature discrepancies or excessive condensation.

In this context, referring to FIG. 5 d as a further preferredembodiment, the cooling manifold's conduit profile 2; 2′ comprises, inreference to a so-called infrastructural profile depicted in FIG. 5 d ,a single- or multi-compartment vacuum space A for absorbing therein thewater condensated on the conduit profile's surface, a carbon dioxidepressure dispensing chamber B, a mist irrigation dispensing chamber Cand/or a single- or multi-compartment interior, a surface groove D orthe like for the wirings of lighting fixtures or the like purpose.

In further reference to a preferred conduit profile 2′ depicted in FIG.5 d , it has been provided with a coupling arrangement E1 for securingit to the cultivation facility K and/or with a coupling arrangement E2for fastening thereto an implement, such as a mist nozzle or the like,intended for the irrigation of plants.

The lighting system utilized in an apparatus of the invention comprises,as a further per se conventional embodiment, adjustment automation foradjusting the operating temperature of the lighting system's lightingfixtures 1 a and/or the temperature/humidity of a plant cultivationfacility e.g. by controlling the temperature and/or flow rate of acirculation fluid proceeding by way of a cooling arrangement and/or acondenser dryer/cooler. The operating chart depicted in FIG. 1 furthershows a three-way valve 3T, which enables the adjustment of circulationwater temperature as desired at a particular time by mixing with eachother the return flow 2 p of a cooling conduit and the circulation waterof a heat storing system 3 b. The discussed chart further shows a flowfitting AW for the adjustment of water in the cooling water circulationprocess of the apparatus, such as e.g. in view of increasing moisture inthe cultivation facility. In addition, the chart shows with thereference symbol FW a flow fitting for passing accumulated water intothe cultivation facility for example as irrigation water.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the above-presentedor -described embodiments, but it can be subjected within the basicconcept of the invention to a multitude of modifications, depending e.g.on the lighting conditions for and special requirements of plants to becultivated at a particular time, whereby e.g. the employable condenserdryer/cooler may represent the air drying technology best suitable foreach particular purpose. In addition to or instead of LED lamps, it isnaturally possible to carry out the invention by utilizing most diverselight producing techniques with notable examples thereof including:laser, OLEC, LEC lamps, quantum dots, plasma, halogen and inductionlamps.

E.g. plasma lamps are based on an argon or sulphur core, which isincandesced with microwaves and which upon heating glows light similarto the sun.

Further particularly incandescent lamps, induction lamps and halogenlamps are based on the same phenomenon, and all these are even atpresent used also as plant growing lights.

In LEC (Light Emitting Capacitor) technology, the fluorescent insulatingmaterial begins to glow in an electric field, said technology beingapplied e.g. in the backlighting of display screens. OLED, LEC, LED andquantum dot technologies are all based on the electroluminescencephenomenon. Other relevant notable light sources further includedischarge lamps, such as Xenon, HPS, MH, as well as fluorescent tubes

1. An apparatus for controlling conditions in an indoor plantcultivation facility, said apparatus comprising: a lighting systemcomprising: an array of two or more electrical lighting fixtures; andone or more electrical components providing a lighting function, whereinthe one or more electrical components are included in each of saidelectrical lighting fixtures and wherein said electrical lightingfixtures are attached on a cooling conduit profile provided with coolingrib system for cooling the electrical lighting fixtures; a hydroniccooling arrangement for lowering or impeding the rise of temperature inthe indoor plant cultivation facility, said hydronic cooling arrangementcomprising: a first pump; and a cooling manifold providing a firstcirculation loop, and configured to be installed in the indoor plantcultivation facility wherein the cooling manifold is configured to coolthe indoor plant cultivation facility with cooling water circulated inthe first circulation loop by the first pump; and a heat recoveryarrangement for utilizing excess heat in the indoor plant cultivationfacility, said heat recovery arrangement comprising, one or morecondenser dryers/coolers for collecting water and/or heat absorbed in anindoor air of the indoor plant cultivation facility, a secondcirculation loop connecting the one or more condenser dryers/coolers toa heat storing system for circulating circulation water, a heat storingsystem for storing the excess heat reclaimed by the heat recoveryarrangement, which is accumulated in the cooling water circulated in thefirst circulation loop of the hydropic cooling arrangement and/or thecirculation water circulated in the second circulation loop, a secondarycircuit for circulating circulation water, which is independent withrespect to the first circulation loop and/or the second circulationloop; and a heat pump assembly coupled to the heat storing system andthe secondary circuit for transferring the heat from the heat storingsystem into the secondary circuit.
 2. The apparatus according to claim1, wherein each of the condenser dryer/cooler comprises a heat exchangerfor heating outlet air of the condenser dryer/cooler, with circulationwater being circulated from the secondary circuit into the heatexchanger by the heat pump assembly and/or from the return side of thefirst circulation loop of the hydropic cooling arrangement.
 3. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat pump assembly comprisesone or more water-to-water heat pumps.
 4. The apparatus according toclaim 1, characterized in that the cooling arrangement's coolingmanifold comprises a heat conductive cooling conduit or profile,manufactured from a plastic, metallic and/or magnetic material,configured to cool the indoor plant cultivation facility because of heatgenerated by light-producing components while producing the light,whereby the cooling manifold has a supply side and a return sideconnected to the heat storing system of the heat recovery arrangement.5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more condenserdryers/coolers, are supplied via the second circulation loop by a secondpump with the circulation water being conducted from the heat storingsystem of the heat recovery arrangement, the one or more condenserdryers/coolers further comprise a collection space containingcondensation water and cooling water, the former having condensedtherein from the indoor cultivation facility's indoor air, and aconnecting pipe coupled to the heat storing system for conveying thecirculation water and heat, accumulated in the collection space, intothe heat storing system.